Giving the Basics Inc.

Giving the Basics was formed in 2011 on the premise that no one should go without the basic items needed to be clean.  Basic hygiene items such as soap, shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste are essential for Human Dignity, self-worth and general good health.  Unfortunately, these items are not covered by government assistance.  Food pantries are not able to stock hygiene items in quantities to fill the need.  Children are going to school smelly, women and girls often skip school or work because they cannot afford feminine hygiene items.  How can anyone apply for a job without the ability to wash their hair, apply deodorant and put on clean clothes?  How can anyone stay healthy if they do not have a toothbrush, toothpaste and soap?  What do you do if you cannot afford toilet paper for your family?  Giving the Basics has taken on the challenge of getting needed hygiene items in the hands of low income families, seniors, students, veterans, people experiencing homelessness and domestic abuse, and others in need in the greater Kansas City metro and now Wichita.  Our goal is improved health, hope and dignity through the provision of hygiene items.  Outcomes for students include increase attendance in school, improved participation in class, decreased bullying and social isolation.  Outcomes for families include better health.  Outcomes for adults include better opportunities for employment and well being.  Outcomes for girls and women include reducing period poverty, increase attendance at school or work, and participation in sports.  Outcomes for home-bound seniors include increase social activity and health. Giving the Basics seeks to help provide a conduit for the police and the community for improved relationships through the distribution of hygiene products to a population our organization is unable to reach directly.     Giving the Basics measures success based on testimonials from partner organizations and individuals receiving product.  We track the need and the quantities of hygiene items provided to each partner organization.

Giving the Basics strategy for promoting hope, health and dignity through the provision of personal hygiene items is to be a hygiene hub.  Products are provided to those in need through a network of distribution partners under four programs: Pantry/Shelter program - Giving the Basics started with distribution of FREE hygiene items through local food pantries and shelters.  Veterans programs, homeless and battered women shelters, transitional housing, low income and mental health care clinics, prison reentry and refugee programs, and family resource service organizations are all covered in this program. In 2014, Giving the Basics began distributing product to the Center School District.  The School Nurse Closet program now provides hygiene items metro wide.  Schools keep a closet in the Nurse's office stocked with hygiene items where students can come get what they need to be clean and ready to learn.  Laundry soap is provided either to be taken home for the family or used by school staff to wash students' clothes on site.  The Police in Kansas City, KS, KCMO, Shawnee, Prairie Village and Johnson County Sheriff's Departments carry Giving the Basics provided items with them helping build community relationships and addressing the needs of those they serve. The Senior Program was born out of calls from home-bound seniors requesting incontinence items.  No senior should be stuck in their home in filth and shame.  Giving the Basics is partnering with organizations that provide home delivery of meals to provide much needed incontinence items. Giving the Basics receives requests for hygiene items from all over the United States.  In 2018, the Board approved a pilot program for expansion beyond Kansas City.  Wichita, KS was chosen as the pilot location and in 2019 began distributing hygiene items through the Wichita School District and Wichita Police Department along with a group of pantries.  This program continues to thrive.    Giving the Basics acquired a new headquarters facility in 2018 allowing for much needed expansion, additional office space and expanded warehouse space.  This will allow the organization to grow our distribution network.  We have expanded our relationships with vendors and other donating organizations allowing Giving the Basics to purchase and accept much larger donations of product, increasing our ability to supply partner organizations.

We increased our staff to include people with the talent and abilities we need.  We included warehouse personnel specific to tracking, managing, fulfilling product.  Our staff now includes volunteer systems coordinator, warehouse manager, logistics, and oversight.  Our board of directors is hands on and meets regularly for good oversight for the systems and for Giving the Basics.   We have SOP and BP in place to insure consistency and efficiency.  We have made relationships with manufacturers, distributors and vendors for our products to insure availability in targeted ordering.  We have over 7,000 volunteer hours each year to accommodate the intake and management of products to get the basics into the hands of 540 registered locations that we serve.

We have increased our pantry number to 135 served monthly. We have increased our school locations to 365 served monthly. We have increased our police departments served to 14 divisions served monthly. We have distributed over 4 million products into the KC Community. We have had the help of over 7,000 local volunteer hours, some returning multiple times. We have gone to a governing board of directors and increased our board size. We are now distributing hygiene products nationally, including the Wichita, KS area. We implemented a new data base for tracking and inventory, allowing us more immediate reporting and significantly freeing up staff time for data input.  To Be Accomplished: We would like to provide 100% of what our registered locations need. We want to be able to add the local schools and pantries on the wait list.